Curcas Extract Research Articles

Assessment of Biological Activities: A Comparison of Pergularia daemia and Jatropha curcas Leaf Extracts

The present study was aimed to compare the wound healing, free radical scavenging and cytotoxicity potentials of Jatropha curcas and Pergularia daemia leaf extracts. Quantitative analysis for some phytochemicals; flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, tannins, saponins and alkaloids were carried out using standard methods. Herbal ointments containing 50% (w/w) methanol leaf extracts of Jatropha curcas and Pergularia daemia were formulated. Excision wound measuring 7x7 mm 2 was created and the ointment applied topically on the wounded area which was measured at intervals of 4 days. Blank ointment (paraffin base) served as the negative control while Povidone iodine ointment served as the standard treatment. On the 16 th day, rats treated with the standard drug (Povidone iodine) showed 82.1% wound closure; J. curcas -treated rats showed 91.3% wound healing while P. daemia treated rats exhibited 97.2% wound closure, indicating an efficacy of the formulations. The ointment formulated with P. daemia leaf extract had the best wound healing potential with very minimal scar formulation. The phytochemical screening revealed that the leaves of J. curcas and P. daemia contain tannins, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids and glycosides. J. curcas had appreciable amount of saponins, however, saponins were not detected in P. daemia. The LC50 values for J. curcas and P. daemia were 586.79 µg/ml and 344.26 µg/ml, respectively while that of the standard (Potassium dichromate) was 62.52 µg/ml. The crude methanol extracts of J. curcas and P. daemia possessed free radical scavenging activities with IC50 of 90.83 and 214.16 µg/ml, respectively while that of the standard quercetin was 50.71 µg/ml. The results obtained in this study strongly support the verbal claims on the use of these plants for wound healing. It also indicates that J. curcas and P. daemia are potential sources of natural antioxidants and are relatively safe for the purposes utilized. Research Article

The evaluation of the analgesic activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Jatropha curcas (Linn) in experimental animals

This study evaluated the analgesic activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Jatropha curcas (Linn) in-vivo using analgesic models viz. hot plate method in mice, tail flick or immersion method in rats and the acetic acid-induced writhing reflex model in mice. In all the models, Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA) was used as the reference drug. In the hot plate and tail flick models, the oral administration of J. curcas extract at the doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg and the reference drug ASA (400 mg/kg) showed potent analgesic effects by significantly ( P < 0.001) increasing the Pain Reaction Time (PRT) dose dependently in mice and rats. Also the reference drug and the extract of J. curcas significantly ( P < 0.0001) decreased the number of the abdominal contortions in the acetic acid-induced writhing reflex in mice and increased the percentage protection in a dose dependent manner. In conclusion, this study indicates that the methanolic leaf extract of Jatropha curcas has significant analgesic properties and may be acting through both peripheral and central pain mechanisms.

The bioactive potentials of two medicinal plants commonly used as folklore remedies among some tribes in West Africa.

Jatropha curcas and Newboulda laevis are medicinal plants used for the treatment of ailments such as diarrhoea, dysentery, sexually ransmitted diseases, jaundice and several other diseases caused by micro-organisms. The antibacterial activities of the leaves of the plants were assessed against a panel of selected bacterial pathogens. Methanolic leaf extracts of J. curcas and N. laevis exhibited antibacterial activity against eight of the thirteen tested bacterial isolates at a final concentration of 20 mg/ml. The zones of inhibition exhibited by J. curcas ranged between 12 and 17 mm while that of N. laevis varied between 10 and 23 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration of J. curcas extract ranged between 0.625 and 10.00 mg/ml, while that of N. laevis extract varied between 0.313 and 10 mg/ml. The standard antibiotic – streptomycin had MIC values of between 0.0313 and 0.0625 mg/ml. Phytochemical compounds present in the extract of J. curcas include alkaloids, saponins, steroids and tannins, while those present in N. laevis extract includes alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins.

Jatropha curcas extract causes anaemia in rat

An investigation into the possible effects of the methanol extract of Jatropha curcas on some haematological parameters was carried out on male albino rats. The extract was observed to cause a progressive reduction in the measured haematological values (packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and red cell counts). The reduction in values of red blood cell counts and haemoglobin concentration were significantly (p <0.01) pronounced in 8 day and 10 day treated rats compared with the control. The LD50 in the acute toxicity test in mice was 25.19 mg. The results suggest that Jatropha curcas most likely caused macrocytic hypochromic type of anaemia in rats. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.